


A Little Brother

by as_with_a_sunbeam



Category: 18th Century CE RPF, Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: 1785, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, New York City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 13:05:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14955239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/as_with_a_sunbeam/pseuds/as_with_a_sunbeam
Summary: Hamilton finds out he's going to be a father again in a most unexpected way.A short, fluffy piece for Father's Day





	A Little Brother

**September 1785**

The fishing pole in Hamilton’s hand felt unwieldy as he hurried along the bank of the Hudson after Pip, who at the moment was little more than a blur of blue in the distance. He wished he hadn’t bothered bringing the pole, he thought, as his shoe slipped on mud and he nearly lost hold of both it and the tackle kit. They hadn’t caught a single fish—not that he’d really expected to with a three year old on board.

Pip had liked the boat, and he’d watched his father thread the line, bait the hook, and cast off into the water with interest. But when a fish hadn’t materialized in the next thirty seconds, he’d grown bored. With no escape from the little rented rowboat, Pip had amused himself by running side to side and reaching down towards the water, attempting to catch fish with his bare hands. The boat had rocked so much with the boy’s darting weight that Hamilton had started to feel seasick. Needless to say, it had been an exceedingly short fishing expedition.

Still, he’d promised Eliza some peace from their irrepressible three year old, and peace she would have. Even if it meant chasing after his son along the shoreline. Pip seemed to be searching for something, and he kept racing up ahead, nearly out of sight, before stooping over to inspect a new patch of mud.

“Philip,” he called. Pip had come to a stop again. “I told you to stay close to me.”

Pip glanced up at him, shrugged, and returned to hunting through the mud with determination.

“What are you looking for?”

His face was scrunched with concentration as his fist closed around a pebble. He held the stone up to his eye much like an appraiser at an auction house, nodded to himself, then wiped it clean on the front of his coat.

“No,” Hamilton demanded belatedly, dropping the tackle kit to reach for the pebble. Too late. Mud was already streaked down the little boy’s formerly clean blue coat. Eliza was going to kill him. “Oh, Pip.”

Pip looked utterly unconcerned with his father’s dismay. He stretched out his hand to give Hamilton the pebble. “That’s for Geli,” Pip said.

Hamilton sighed and slid the rock into his coat pocket. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”

Pip was already off to the next mud patch.

He growled under his breath, adjusted his grip on the pole, picked up their tackle kit, then followed. Pip was squinting down at a new spot when he caught up again. Breath puffing more than he’d like to admit, he asked, “What are you looking for now?”  

“A present for my little brother,” Pip answered.

Hamilton frowned. “Your little brother?”

Pip looked up at him and nodded.

“You don’t have a little brother.”

“Yes, I do. Mama said.” With that, the little boy’s attention returned to the mud.

His mind spun over this new information. Had Eliza said something about expecting a new baby to Pip? She certainly hadn’t told him. Distracted as he was with his practice, a new baby was surely something he’d remember.

Of course, Pip was at the tricky age where he spouted imaginary tales as often as he told the truth. This new brother might be as fictitious as the goblin Pip swore lived in the cupboard. He needed more details. “Pip?”

Pip looked up again.

“When did Mama tell you about a new baby?”

“She didn’t.”

 “So you were telling me a tale?”

“No,” Pip replied simply. “Mama told Aunt Peggy.”

“Aunt Peggy?”

Pip nodded.  “I heard when I was playing soldiers on the stairs.”

Well, that was possible. Even plausible. Peggy had visited last week for Angelica’s first birthday, and Eliza very well may have shared the news with her sister before informing him. And Pip had a way of overhearing everything that happened in their house, especially when he wasn’t meant to be listening. Just two weeks ago, Hamilton had cursed after stubbing his toe when Pip was meant to be napping two rooms away; yet, somehow, for the next several days, his little son had run around the house shouting ‘damn’ while Eliza glared at him.

“Really she said baby,” Pip amended as he squatted down to give the mud a closer look. “But I already have a little sister. So I must be getting a little brother.”

Three year old logic at its finest.

Eliza had seemed unusually tired lately, and she’d been sick a few days ago, he remembered. She’d claimed it was from something she’d eaten at the Bruce’s dinner the night before, and he’d had indigestion enough himself to believe her. But still… a smile bloomed across his face. A new baby.

“Here,” Pip said. After rubbing the mud off on his coat once again, he thrusted another pebble at Hamilton. “That’s for the baby.”

Hamilton dutifully placed the pebble in his pocket with Angelica’s.

“Wait here, Papa,” Pip instructed, toddling off towards the water. “I’ll be right back.”

He lunged forward and grabbed Pip around the waist to hoist him up into his arms. Pip giggled as he kissed his chubby little cheeks. “I don’t think so, my dear little fellow. You’re staying right here with me.”

**

Eliza’s bare feet were peeking out from the blankets on their bed where he found her napping upon arriving home. Smirking, he brushed his finger along the arch, where she was most ticklish, sure to keep his touch feather light. Her toes curled in response, then her nose wrinkled. “Stop,” she mumbled.

He chuckled and seated himself on the bed beside her.

Her eyes fluttered open. “How was fishing?”

“Brief,” he answered succinctly.

She smiled. “I had a feeling.”

“He got bored after about five minutes on the boat. I rowed us back to the dock, and we played on the shore most of the afternoon. I think our next trip will have to wait a few years.”

She nodded and snuggled back into her pillow with a yawn.

“Tired, my angel?”

“Mm,” she hummed.

He brushed a loose curl back behind her ear and trailed his knuckles down along her cheek. “I have a surprise for you,” he whispered.

“What?” she mumbled, half asleep.

He pulled Pip’s pebbles out of his pocket and held them out in his palm. “Open your eyes.”

She obeyed, and frowned at his outstretched hand. “Pebbles?”

He nodded.

“Well, honey, I appreciate the thought." Her brow arched skeptically. "In the future, though, earrings are always an option.”

“Oh?” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. He felt her smiling into it.

“Mmhm. Or a necklace.”

He kissed her again.

“Any jewelry, really. All standard gifts from a husband to a wife.”

With a final kiss to punctuate her last sentence, he pulled back slightly and tapped his finger against her nose. “They’re actually from Pip.”

“That makes more sense.”

“You’ve been keeping a secret from me,” he accused with a smile.

“No,” she contradicted him as she gave a sleepy blink.  

“Oh yes, you have. I have it on good authority.” His left hand moved down to rest on the blanket over her belly. She stilled under his hand, and her eyes opened wider, now fully awake.

“How did you…”

“There are no secrets in a house with a three year old.”

“Oh, Pip.” She pushed herself up in bed with a frustrated huff.

He handed her the two pebbles. “Pip picked that one out for Geli, and the other out for his little brother. When I reminded him that he didn’t have a little brother, he explained that you’d told Aunt Peggy we were having another baby. And since he already has a little sister, of course the new baby will be a boy.”  

“Of course,” she agreed with a facetiously solemn nod. Her smile softened as she held the two stones in her hand, though. Her finger traced over them lovingly.  “Well, that wasn’t the way I intended to tell you. But are you happy?”

“Nothing could make me happier.” Their eyes met, and Hamilton stroked his thumb over Eliza's stomach. 

The intimate moment was interrupted by a fierce wail coming from the nursery. Pip raced into the bedroom a moment later, his arms twirling like a windmill as he announced, “Geli’s awake!”

“Thank you, Pip,” Hamilton said wryly.

“Philip Hamilton, what’s happened to your nice new coat?” He and Pip both froze at the question from Eliza.

Hamilton gave her a sheepish smile and explained, “He was playing in the mud.”

“I found presents for Geli and the baby,” Pip added, as thought that made it better. “Can I give Geli her present now, Papa? So she won’t cry?”

Eliza shook her head at them as she pushed back the blankets and swung her feet over the side of the bed. “Here,” she said, handing over one of the pebbles. “Let’s put this in your sister’s room and then see about cleaning you up, my little tattle tale.”

Pip laughed when Eliza kissed his face, but shook his head at the pebble he’d been presented. “No, Mama, this is the baby’s. That one’s for Geli,” he insisted. Eliza handed him the other pebble, and Pip placed the first back in her hand. “You keep that one for my brother.”

“All right, honey.” Eliza glanced back at him, her eyes noticeably bright.  

“Geli! Look what I brought you!” Pip shouted, racing away with his little fist upheld.

Eliza heaved a sigh, but smiled. “I hope he’s wrong. I don’t think I can take any more troublesome boys in this house. Two is quite enough.”

**Author's Note:**

> A little short, sweet fluff for Father's day, and in response to a prompt over on tumblr. I love that line in the musical where Philip says he has a sister but he wants a little brother, and I wanted to bring that in to Hamilton finding out about Eliza being pregnant with little Alex :)
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Hope you all enjoyed, and, as always, feedback of all kinds is very much appreciated!!


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